Improvement in methods of preserving shrimps and other shell-fish



G. W., G. H. & F. B. DUNBAR.-

METHOD 0F PRESERVING SHRIMPS AND @.TIIERHELL-FISH.,

Patented June 20,1876.

l .riff/H4 N.PETERS. PHOTO-LITHDGEPNR. WASHINGTON, D C.

UNITED STATES GEORGE W. DUNBAR, GEORGE H. DUNBAR, AND FRANCIS B. DUNBAR, OF

PATENTAQEEIGE.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

IMPROVEMENT lN METHODS 0F PRESERVING SHRlMPS AND OTHER SHELL-FISH,

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 178,916, dated J une 20, 1876; application led February 1, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE W. DUNRAR,

GEORGE H. DUNBAR, and FRANCIS B. DUN- BAR, residents of the city of New Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Linings for Gans; and We do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and correct description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making a part of this specification.

The object of our present invention is to provide an improved method of preservin g shrimps or prawns, and indeed all kinds of shell-fish, preventing their discoloration, and insuring the retention of their original freshness and davor.

- Primarily, our improvement consists in so placing a suitable textile fabric between the sh or other article of food to be preserved as to cause -it to so intervene as to prevent, under all circumstances, any direct contact between the metallic surface-of the can and its contents; and it is the employment of such textile fabric in connection with the process hereinafter described of treating the fish or other article, both before and after the same is placed in the can and sealed, which constitutes the nature or subject-matter of our present invention.

ln the accompanying drawingis illustrated, at Figure l, a metallic can, such as is ordinarily used for articles of food which are offered to the trade in a canned state. .Fig. 2 is a textile lining` which wepropose usually to make (although there is nothing arbitrary about the form, as other forms may beused) in the form of a cylindrical bag or sack, the

diameter of which, when filled, is to be such as will permit of its fitting snugly Within the can.

A is the metallic can; a, its lid or cover. B is the bag or sack, constructed of cotton, Inuslin, or any other suitable textile fabric. Material of the cheapest and most inferior quality may be used, asthe sole object of its use is to prevent the article to be preserved from coming in direct contact with the surface of the can, and which contact with the metal, in the case of the shrimp, causes, during the process ofboiling, and all-along thereafter until the can is opened, a profuse precipitation of a black substance, generally believed to be sulphur, and which supposition is basedupon the fact that theshrimp is said to possess a much larger proportion of sulphur than other shell-sh. The substance thus precipitated not only discolors-the fish, (shrimp,) but detracts much from the color, freshness, and richness of its flavor. N ow, practical experience has fully demonstrated the fact that by using a textile fabric, as described, the precipitation of the substance alluded to is-prevented, or at least does not appear either on the fabric or metal, and hencethe value and importance of thisfeature ofour invention. b, Fig.A 3, is a circular piece cut out of material similar to that of which'the bag B is made,

and which is inserted Within lthe mouth of the latter after the same is filled with the fish or other article to be preserved.

Such a can and lining as herein described are admirably adapted for the purpose attained Vbyourpresentinvention5 but, as before stated,

The shell having been removed from the' shrimp in the usual manner, the fish is thrown into salt Water of aboutsix degrees, and there remains for an hour, more or less, and from thence to kettles filled with water, and brought to a-boiling heat, after which they are placed on drippers and cooled, and. thoroughly rinsed with fresh cold water, and from which, so soon as thoroughly dripped, in` a moist condition,l

they are placed in the sack B, the same having been previously arranged .in the can A, and Without the addition of .any salted or otherwise prepared liquid. So soon as the sack is filled, the mouth thereof being properly secured, the lid or head a is placed in position on the can A, and immediately sealed.

The cans are then subjected to a stemmi-bath or placed in kettles containing boiling water,

Vand boiled for two hours at the highest ten1- perature attainable, and which completes the process.

`What we Yclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- L The herein-described method of preserving Shrimps, 85e., preventing their discoloration, which consists in placing textile fabric between the can und its contents, and then sealing the cnn and subjecting the same to a. boiling process, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

' G. W. DUNBAR.

GEO. H. DUN BAR. B. DUNBAR. Witnesses:

H. N. JENKINS, T. J. RoAoH. 

